OCR01183 - Donkey Kong Country 2 "KRool Intentions"

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I think it's obvious why I squeal like a little girl every time I see Protricity's name on the main page.

omfg, this rocks my socks. Everytime the original melody pops up I get flashbacks of that nightmare of a boss fight, which I've never managed to beat because it's so insanely hard. This mix captures the whole feel of that fight for me- it's light and easy for about two seconds before it turns around and TOTALLY kicks your arse and doesn't stop until you're lying on the floor twitching. It's intense, INSANE, and changes up more than K. Rool's pattern. I love it.

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Shoot. Got all hyped up reading the reviews and then was disapointed when listening to it. This is good, but nothing compared to some of prots other stuff (ie vast inner depths of brinstar). The drums just sound really......random, I guess. It all sounds distant, and doesn't really have any mood to me. I think next time prot should have more going on musically, and less focus on the percussion, and less weird effects.

I would probably like it more if I was familiar with the origional, but I get the feeling this will grow on me anyways. Good, but not great.

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Well I liked this mix when I downloaded it, but it's grown on me more since that time. I like it a lot, and I hope the author comes up with more music of this caliber. I especially like the strings that are near the beginning of the song. Only one complaint though, near the beginning, I always get a sense that there is no midtone whatsoever, but that's just me, I guess.

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It's really not fair to be this way, but Protricity is about the only ReMIxer I listen to anymore. When a new mix of his comes out, it is indeed like Chirstmas.

First off, before I forget, this mix has insane resemblance to a certain Castlevania mix on this site that I do not know the name of... Just thought I'd throw that out there, since a Castlevania-esque mood really fits the situation, I think; all dark and foreboding, or however you spell that.

I gave a huge, emotional speech about Ari's last mix, "Forest Bidcussion", so this time I'll be more vague and take up less space. First of all, ass has been kicked. It's difficult to guage just how much ass though, since I had to listen to it for the first time on mono... But even so, it sounds great. This mix has a microcosm all it's own; part of a larger DKC2 experience but also a self-contained romp all it's own. That pretty much goes for all of the DKC mixes on the site, but Prot's especially.

In closing, though I wish I could comment on individual parts, as a whole this mix is quite good. Personally, I feel like "Forest Birdcussion" is a better listen, but it has nothing to do with style... really, I can't pick out anything in particular, so maybe it's just the mono sound.

Oh, I lied. On more thing. The stop-and-go nature of the song is show of Ari's genius. Those of you who have played the level in the game will recall how the battle had two distinct stops where your buddy DK would momentarily be flashed before you, and K Rool looked to be defeated... but he kept coming, more ferocious than ever before. In that light, the song plays to not only the level's music, but it's visual and even play style as well. When just listening to a song gives you the impression that you're playing a game, experiencing it all with just one sensory organ, then THAT my friend, is GREAT music.

Ari, I hope you live to be 100 years old and have a dozen kids who are vaguely like you. I love you, man

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First time reviewer, longtime lurker and listener. Protricity's done it again with another great DKC2 tune, and one of my personal favorites.

First, before I get to lavishing the praise, I'd like to make a small criticism - the clipping in some of the low-end instruments really, really detracts from the tune. It may have been done on purpose, and I'm sure it's not me (it's even there with a flat EQ on a great system), as well as being able to reproduce this amongst other systems. It just reduces the quality of the song - I love blaring remixes in my car, and this song made my fairly decent audio system (which isn't very bass-heavy, mind you - I hate excessively bassy systems which make too much muddy bass instead of just enough clear bass) cry. A bit of tweaking of levels of certain instruments as well as fixing some equalizing issues would go a long way in making this song "perfect."

Aside from that admittedly minor quibble, the rest of the song is pure awesomeness. It takes a few songs, actually, from DKC2 - let's look at it time by time.

0:00 - Song starts out with the introductory chords from the Kaptain K. Rool battle from DKC2. Nice little interpretation which keeps the chords from being repetitive, although the clipping I hear in the low instruments is annoying.

0:35 - I love that little Xylophone (or whatever percussive instrument used, synths are so finicky) intro into the next bit.

0:37 - The strings come in. The first three beats are the ones everyone probably knows best from the original song - that apprehension of finally getting to the Kaptain's chambers and thwacking him good. Prot's done a bit of tweaking to them from the original though, and as usual, it hits the spot - varying the beats ever so slightly, giving that apprehensive feel.

0:40 - The electric guitar comes in for a quick downward riff as the main rhythm comes in for the punch. This pattern is seen a lot through the song and is used quite well. Using the violins with sharp attack is very sharp, the original used a sort of bassy synth that isn't necessarily better or worse, just different. It doesn't get lost in the rhythm, and actually produces an excellent effect.

0:55 - Little guitar overlay which takes over from where the original song used the strings. I liked the imposing nature of the original's little interlude, although we'll be hearing this little bit again in just a few seconds.

1:05 - Small bass interlude. This feels like a hole in the song - like something is missing. I blame this on the muddiness of the instruments - they sort of run into each other here. Clipping is maddeningly present.

1:16 - This is actually the same beat as 1:05, but played differently, both from there and in the original. The staccato... whatever was used (damn synths! Sounds like string plucks) are interesting, and give it a more pirate-y feel than the beat in the original (this song isn't fairly pirate-y, IMO, where's the accordion? ). Again, great musical work, but hte production is killing me - the clipping is just driving me nuts. Prot, tell me if this was done on purpose or if all three of my systems are screwed up with flat equalizers.

1:40 - repeat, except with different instruments. Needed, since the original song was only 52 seconds long! I'm not complaining with hearing those great beats twice, though.

2:10 - Guitar trails off and a quickie bass solo. This quickly leads into original material that ever so slightly connects more of...

2:30 - The original chords are back again, establishing melody, and just sort of meandering for twenty seconds, then the repeat continues with more strings of the secondary rhythm. This continues on for... a long time, actually, about a whole minute before something new happens!

3:30 - Violins crescendo and halt - very nice lead in to the new bass line. Over this we hear ever so slight hints of the first rhythm plucked on strings until...

3:55 - The guitars and drums come into full force here for a little original interlude. Nice buildup, unconventional and really links the first song (K'Rool) to the next, which starts at...

4:19 - We hear the DKC 2 main theme here for a short moment, which is a nice nod, and is a great little guitar solo to boot. Musically, this is holding up pretty well.

4:42 - Rambi Rumble kicks in... or at least, I think it is. It sounds like an amalgamation of Rambi Rumble and the Lost World themes (the two tracks are so similar with a few exceptions), until you definitely hear the sounds of Rambi Rumble around 4:58. The hard hitting strings make the Rambi Rumble theme scream - very nice touch.

5:33 - From this point until the end, apparently, we've got some grooving between certain parts of the main theme and Rambi Rumble - You could almost want to hear that bit we heard back at 4:19 over this, until we're greeted with Rambi Rumble again at 6:14. After that, the song sort of... dies. The ending doesn't seem to be very firm, but it does lend to a nice crossfade.

In all, it's a great tune - I love it because it's one of my favorite DKC2 tunes next to the main theme and the lava theme. The only thing that really mars it for me is the clipping - and it's not just this mix, I've heard other mixes that have really bad clipping as well. What's up guys, boosting our volume or our lows too much? Not trying to rag on Prot, he's a great guy, it's just that the clipping keeps this song from being perfect. If it's that way on purpose, fine, just my only real criticism of an otherwise awesome medley.

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The first 2'15" of the mix is fairly solid, though at times the awesome arrangement seems to not be all there. The quieter instruments in the background are virtually unnoticable unless you really listen for them, but they add so much to the music that this should not be. If I have any problems with this song, it's with the first 2'15". It lacks the energy and soul of the latter parts of the song. In addition, to me this makes it more difficult to enjoy the song as a whole, with an intro such as this making me feel like something's missing.

Into specifics... the first 0'45" of the song is great, I wouldn't change a thing. Things don't start to snag until the string plucks come in, first in the far background and then into the foreground. Although they die quickly, they don't seem to fit too well. Even so, they are very brief. When the power synths kicks back in things are fine... but at 2'02" there's a synth that completely overpowers the guitar synth. There's a pause and a choir, and all is well once more. Though the mix's intensity varies a lot from there on, I have nothing to bitch about past that point as far as what I feel is quality.

All in all this is a good ReMix, Prot. It has style, a soul, and it's cool to listen to... However, it suffers for two reasons, as far as I can tell.

One, it sounds far too much like you "Assembly Line Apperitions", but not in a good way, per se. It has the same synth-rock feel to it, and it sounds great, but "KRool Intentions" doesn't do it quite as well. Granted, you don't want two mixes from the same game sounding identical. However, while the fact that "KRool Intentions" does not completely emulate "Assembly Line Apperitions" is right, it doesn't achieve that level of balance that all your other mixes have. Also, I don't like the fact that you ended both songs on the exact same sample and chord.

Problem number two is "Forest Birdcussion" itself. That song had such an incredible sense of mastery and atmosphere, it seemed as if it could leap from my speakers and fill the room around me. It was, in my humble opinion, your best work yet and the best DKC mix on the site to date.

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I can't get enough of this song. I burned it to a disc (My fourth collection of VG Music/ReMixes) and listened to it over and over while on my boring vacation. I listened to it while lying in bed, watching the rain and lightning at night. It was so awesome. Great work, Prot.

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Well well, I had heard a lot about the (in)famous Prot on the forums so I had to have a listen to his work.. this has indeed impressed me though beyond all expectations. Forest Birdcussion was not quite my cup of tea but this, has such energy and lovely use of synth instruments, really creating an atmosphere worthy of the evil King K.Rool.. well done sir.

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Man, what kinda water are these djs DRINKING??? This mix is nothing short of kewl. Literally. You lean in, listening to the speakers like they're telling you you've won ten million smackaroonies. Try it, dudes! Nah, you don't have to. You just will by nature. I can't pick out a fav part in the track (mainly cuz, I'm not listening to it right now ), but the whole thing...ah. The music is compiled w/geniousity and brothaness . Yeah, I don't get it either, Plank.

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I'd like to announce that I have in fact used this incredible music in a stunt demo, for a new website I just designed. This is the first time I've edited to a game remix; usually I pick kickass hard rock and commercial techno for that kinda work, so kudos Prot. Enjoy.

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Personally, while all the tunes from Donkey Kong Country 2 were good, KRool's theme was my favourite because it suited the character perfectly. KRool Intentions goes one step further by improving the original song to the extent that you can almost feel as through you're the bad guy!!

Put simply, this music has to be heared to be believed. A definite classic! 10/10

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Anyone notice towards the end Protricity put a remix to the Music from the Rambi Rumble stage (The song that plays when that Giant Zingger chases you) within this song? Mad Propz go out to this person thoguh for making such an awsome song.

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OH MY FREAKIN GOD! Best remix I have ever heard. this tops everything, protricity, you are a god(only of music so dont let it get to your head )First off, I find it cool how when the music starts it sounds like it was already started, and with a great beat. Lots of smooth beaks throughout it all. And many of the beats intertwined to give a cool effect. I like 1:15 where it goes to that little something when your fighting KRool. Then theres that powerfull bass around 3:32. And it keeps getting better till the end.